First reported 6 Apr 2017•Latest report 18 Jul 2025
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures of controls specifically intended to prevent vulnerable adults, people with cognitive impairment or children from accessing and ingesting hazardous cleaning products in homes, healthcare settings and other occupied premises, including child-resistant or access-resistant packaging, safe storage or placement, container controls and hazard-specific warnings where these directly reduce ingestion risk.
Not included
Excludes general household chemical storage or product-safety deficiencies where ingestion by a vulnerable person is not the identified risk.
Excludes medication, illicit-substance and toxic-gas access controls unless the assertion specifically concerns ingestion of a hazardous cleaning product.
Excludes general hand hygiene, infection prevention or cleaning-practice deficiencies where access to and ingestion of the product is not the unsafe condition.
Excludes ordinary product labelling or warnings that do not concern preventing vulnerable people from accessing or ingesting hazardous cleaning products.
Reports
3
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
6
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2017–2025
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
12
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs1
Department of Health and Social Care1
J Sainsbury plc1
NHS England1
Office for Product Safety and Standards1
The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents1
UK Cleaning Products Industry Association1
Ministerial department2
Executive non-departmental public body1
Product safety regulator1
Public limited company1
Registered charity1
Trade association1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
Manchester West
Concerns raised3
Failure of washing detergent containers to restrict access by vulnerable adults or children
Insufficient labelling warnings about risks to vulnerable adults and children
Lack of public awareness of the need to safeguard detergents from vulnerable adults
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.8
Action
Review detergents regulations with industry, considering legislative amendments and alternative measures to improve consumer safety.
Stated by Department for Environment, Food & Rural AffairsStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 25 July 2025.
Action
Develop practical guidance for carers on safely storing and handling hazardous household substances.
Stated by The Royal Society For The Prevention Of AccidentsStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 25 July 2025.
Action
Promote safe household chemical storage through guidance and public messaging, including original containers, separation from food and medicines, and marked cupboards.
Stated by The Royal Society For The Prevention Of AccidentsStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 25 July 2025.
Action
Engage manufacturers and regulators to encourage packaging that avoids food or drink resemblance and clearer warnings addressing risks to vulnerable adults.
Stated by The Royal Society For The Prevention Of AccidentsStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 25 July 2025.
Action
Provide home-safety information on laundry products through the “Keeping safe at home” leaflet.
Stated by Dementia UKStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 25 July 2025.
Action
Engage with UKCPI to support development of a national laundry-product safety awareness campaign for the public and professionals.
Stated by Dementia UKStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 25 July 2025.
Action
Have Dementia UK’s lived-experience panel review the campaign’s safety products and collateral for relevance to people with dementia, families and professionals.
Stated by Dementia UKStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 25 July 2025.
Action
Deliver a national social media campaign raising awareness of household chemical risks for people with dementia.
Stated by The Royal Society For The Prevention Of AccidentsStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 25 July 2025.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Position
Defra does not enforce product safety regulations and directs relevant product information to local authority trading standards.
Stated by Department for Environment, Food & Rural AffairsRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
CLP-related concerns are HSE’s responsibility, so HSE provided the response rather than Defra.
Stated by Department for Environment, Food & Rural AffairsRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
HSE considers legislative change unnecessary because there is no evidence that this case represents a widespread problem.
Stated by Department for Environment, Food & Rural AffairsNo action considered necessaryThe respondent said that no further action was needed.
Inner North London
Concerns raised2
Failure of product appearance and packaging to avoid confusion with food
Lack of packaging safety features restricting access to laundry capsules
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
Action
Continue reviewing whether further regulatory measures are needed for laundry detergent packaging.
Stated by Health and Safety ExecutiveStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 14 August 2024.
Action
Continue working with trading standards and local authorities to address breaches of the GB CLP Regulation.
Stated by Health and Safety ExecutiveStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 14 August 2024.
Action
Maintain the Product Stewardship Programme’s safety requirements for liquid laundry detergent capsules, including child-resistant packaging, safety messaging and advertising controls.
Stated by The UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPIStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 14 August 2024.
Action
Replace plastic packaging with a cardboard box incorporating a child-impeding closure and test it against the AISE Child-Impeding Closures protocol.
Stated by Sainsbury’s Group Legal ServicesStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 14 August 2024.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.8
Position
Existing regulatory provisions are considered an adequate response; no additional GB CLP provisions are proposed, though the position remains under review.
Stated by Health and Safety ExecutiveExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
Parents, support staff and carers should identify hazards and implement safeguarding, including restricting access through safe storage, for vulnerable individuals.
Stated by Health and Safety ExecutiveRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
Existing packaging controls, safety labelling, bittering agent and voluntary product-safety guidance are considered sufficient, so no further action is required.
Stated by Sainsbury’s Group Legal ServicesExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
There is no evidence that the laundry pods were non-compliant with product safety rules or chemical substance requirements.
Stated by Office for Product Safety and StandardsDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
The evidence does not show that capsule colour causes accidental exposure or makes capsules likely to be confused with food.
Stated by The UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPIDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
Existing regulatory and voluntary measures make the product and its packaging inherently safe, keeping accidental ingestion extremely unlikely across age groups.
Stated by The UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPIExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
The packaging did have a child-impeding safety feature, contrary to the concern that no such feature was observed.
Stated by Sainsbury’s Group Legal ServicesDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
The sampled pouch packaging complied with GB CLP requirements and the industry safety programme, contrary to the concern about inadequate access protection.
Stated by The UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPIDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
East Riding and Hull
Concerns raised1
Risk of confused patients consuming ubiquitous alcohol-based hand washing gels
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Includes failures of controls specifically intended to prevent vulnerable adults, people with cognitive impairment or children from accessing and ingesting hazardous cleaning products in homes, healthcare settings and other occupied premises, including child-resistant or access-resistant packaging, safe storage or placement, container controls and hazard-specific warnings where these directly reduce ingestion risk.
